Wake word recognizer (WWR) is a set of techniques allowing to recognize a specific key phrase, aka the wake word. The WWR has a well-defined and optimal microphone input signal level for which it obtains highest recognition rates and thus if a WWR's input signal is close to an optimal level, then that is when the WWR achieves best results. However, WWR are often affected by microphone gain and boost settings controlled by users of a device. Since the signal levels are typically controlled by user, they can easily shift from WWR's optimal values. Conventional techniques fail to protect WWRs from microphone gain and boost changes made by the user or software running on the device.